Everything is going smoother than expected.
Vertin: Laplace has forwarded the Uluru Games application to the Foundation, and it has been moving smoothly in the system in the last two weeks. I heard that from Mr. Slouch Hat on the phone this morning.
Vertin: They believe it will be a good opportunity to build a positive image for arcanists, and it will strengthen the communication between them and humans. The Foundation is happy to see that happen.
Ezra: Then when will we have the result of the application?
Vertin: The procedure is long and complicated. Besides, the safety reports were only submitted a few days ago, so it will take at least 20 days.
Spathodea: Twenty days? If we start the construction after that, we'll never make it on the opening day. The engineers said the construction will take at least a month and a half.
Vertin: That's almost the fastest they can do. Can we postpone it a bit more?
Spathodea: Hmm ... I'm afraid not. I already postponed it until half a month later for the construction. Summer will be over if we wait any longer.
Ezra: It's okay. We have talked about the construction arrangement.
A map marked with writings is rolled out on the table. Ezra draws a new line.
Ezra: We may start the renovation ourselves, and move on to other things when we have more people to help. As I demonstrated here, if we plan it properly, we may be able to finish the construction in a month.
Ezra: By then, we can start the event as Ms. Spathodea first planned.
Spathodea: Gosh! I already checked the schedule a hundred times!
Spathodea: How did you manage to cut down 15 days from nowhere?! This is unbelievable!
Spathodea holds the paper level to her nose and has a read.
Spathodea: You're a genius, Ezra! I guess the Games would have died on the vine without you!
Ezra: It's nothing extraordinary, compared to what a real human genius can do. Don't forget arcanists are the pillar of the Games.
Spathodea: Let me see ... Divide the construction team into three groups, one building the entrance, and the other two repairing the internal ceiling and walls ...
Spathodea: ... The internal ceiling and walls?
Spathodea: Ezra, I have never made that request to the construction team. You must be mistaken. We need not repair what's inside the Stadium!
Ezra: I added it to the list.
Ezra: I have investigated the site with some workers from the construction team. The Stadium is ancient. The walls are badly weathered and can barely hold up anything. It has become more of a natural scenic spot than a Stadium for sports.
Ezra: For safety reasons, we might use a support structure made of alloy to ...
Spathodea: No! Definitely NO!
Spathodea stands up quickly, overturning the chair.
Spathodea: This is the Uluru Stadium we're talking about, not some office building on the street! I will not let you in!
Spathodea: I wouldn't have left the gate open if you told me your plan earlier!
Ezra: But what about the audience, Ms. Spathodea? How are we going to look after their safety?
Ezra: If one of the walls or the ceiling collapses, how can they escape?
Spathodea: Nothing like that has happened before, not even one case in the past hundreds of years!
Ezra: Nothing stays the same forever. We have to foresee the danger before it is too late.
Spathodea: They can run away from the danger themselves.
Ezra: Excuse me?
Spathodea: You already figured it out, right? The Stadium can get rid of fatigue from arcanists and adjust their conditions and arcane abilities to their best.
Spathodea: Even if accidents really happened, they can protect themselves. The prophets and diviners will also warn the others.
Spathodea: We never needed metal bars above our heads to protect us!
Ezra: What about the human audiences?
Ezra: They have no superpower, nor super senses. They can't fly a broom or teleport themselves. They can't even get themselves out of a packed room.
Ezra: In your plan, how are you going to ensure their safety?
Spathodea: Humans? What are they doing in the Stadium?
Ezra: ...!
Spathodea: There has never been a single human in the Uluru Games. None of them managed to find the entrance, not to mention enter it ...
Ezra: But I am human, Ms. Spathodea.
Ezra: You invited me to the Games. It's also you who told me that humans, like myself, can enter the Uluru Stadium if it shows itself!
The cup in his hand falls to the table.
Spathodea: You ... I-I thought you were different!
Spathodea: You showed concern about arcanists, and you helped us a lot. You're a kind human ...
Ezra: But I'm not special.
Ezra: I am no greater than any other humans. I don't deserve to be treated differently. I'm just one of the majority, an ordinary human.
Ezra: If I can be accepted by the Stadium, so can other humans!
Ezra presses on the map dotted with red marks, dragging that arc he drew towards himself.
Desert Flannel: Spathodea, Ezra ... Guys, calm down! This is not the time for a fight!
Spathodea: This is not the time?! When shall we have it then?!
Spathodea: The world is full of sports games for humans! One after another and another!
Spathodea: But THIS, this is the only sports game for arcanists! Why don't you go mind your own games?
Spathodea: And haven't humans stolen enough from us? They even made our arcane skills accessible to them. They modified arcane gadgets and added some science stuff and ... Bang! The arcane tricks I know suddenly became something new—some invention exclusive for humans' use!
Spathodea: And now, they're even taking away the Uluru Stadium with metal bars?! It was me who found this Stadium, and I'm not giving it to anyone!
Not to be outdone, the girl pulls the map to her side.
Ezra: Taking away?
Ezra: We, no ... I-I have never thought of taking anything away from you, Ms. Spathodea.
Ezra: I was just trying to help, like most of the Laplace researchers. We spend most our time in the lab, we read, we study day and night ...
Ezra: We weren't doing it to make humans noble, nor for arcanists!
Ezra: Those products and achievements ... They are the fruit of the combination of arcanum and science. They were made to make everyone's life better.
One side is full of sullen resentment.
Spathodea: Make life better? Get out! You think I never saw the ad of Laplace?
Spathodea: "Guide arcanum with science, tame the orderless power with sense." That's what you tell the people!
The other side seems unwilling and filled with grievance.
Spathodea cranes out to Ezra, her face flushed with anger.
Ezra: Sense will guide sentiments, so as to prevent the latter from destroying itself in the flames.
Ezra: You have to attend to the flames carefully, to understand them, protect them from danger ... This is what I've been taught, and this is also the principle I've always acted upon.
Ezra: And this very suitcase that we are staying in is also placed at the entrance made by humans! You shouldn't think so ill of them when you're standing on it!
The rational, delicate boy frowns and grips the pen until his finger whitens.
Ezra: We were only trying to help, that's all!
Rip! The drawing is torn into two pieces, underneath which the table in between seems like the King's Canyon.
Spathodea: I'm out! It's pointless arguing with a rude human who has no respect for arcanists!
First trotting, then scooting and running, Spathodea storms toward the room at the end of the hallway. "Bang!" She slams the door and shuts the world out.
Ezra: ...
Ezra: Sorry, I will go back to my room now.
Head lowered and murmuring, Ezra runs away from the table as if chased.
Vertin: ...
Vertin: It's a nice map.
She puts the two pieces together, but the crack on the paper still can't be ignored.
Vertin: It shouldn't be left in halves. What do you think?
Desert Flannel: I don't like the idea of giving up, and I have never messed up a job once I took it.
Desert Flannel pushes the left half of the map towards the burning flame.
Desert Flannel: I'll take care of this, and you look after that. What do ya say?
Ulu: ...
Vertin: Ulu? Are you alright?
Ulu: I'm fine. I just ... feel a bit dizzy ...
Ulu: My head has been feeling heavy since the battle against the Bunyips, and sometimes even my body feels itchy. I think I'll be fine after I fully recover.
Ulu shakes her head and picks up the broken map.
Ulu: Leave this half to me. I'll talk to her.
Vertin: Thanks, Ulu. I'll request another raise of your accelerants from Laplace.
Vertin: Desert Flannel, you take care of Ezra. I'll follow the progress of the Foundation's examination.
Vertin: Let's move, friends.
The people set out for their targets one after another, leaving only empty chairs in the room.
Bunyip: Ssss ...
A small figure as black as cinder walks out of one pool of shadow.
And then vanishes into the other.
Chief Editor: What the heck did you say?! What do you mean "no other progress"?!
Chief Editor: Progress of the Uluru Stadium Renovation. Who the heck will buy our newspaper for this piece of s**t?!
His mustache quivers with every angered breath.
Makower: Sorry, Sir.
Makower: We haven't been able to find anything new about the Revival Squad for a long time. They didn't even step out of that suitcase in the last two weeks after we got their names in the papers.
Makower: Neither did we hear anything from the sources … Ugh!
A file filled with papers is thrown into Makower's face.
Chief Editor: I'm not hiring a notorious journalist like you for this boring news!
Chief Editor: Get out and find more! Some big and breaking news like that REVIVAL SQUAD OF ULURU GAMES IN CITY HALL WITH BUNNY GIRL!
The chief editor storms off, leaving his lion roar lingering in the room.
Makower: ...
Bunyip: Sss ... SSS!
Makower: ... Heh, it's you. Good timing.
The tiny Bunyip swiftly crawls up Makower's leg and winds around his finger. Seconds later, it turns into a spot of ink.
Makower: The Uluru Games on the edge of total disruption, the Revival Squad ... turn against each other! I knew it, a group of monkeys ...!
Makower: This is fun. The chief editor and that chick will both enjoy this.
Makower: Heh-heheheheheh ... coughs ...
His body keeps trembling, trembling, and trembling, until he can't help but let out uncontrollable laughter.
